Latest Additions

So, it seems that when medical device manufacturers release products for children, they are usually just adult products with small adjustments for a child.  Devices are almost never designed specifically for children because the market is not big enough.  But, it is important to consider issues like growth and long-term effects when applying devices for children’s use. 

Lawmakers are taking notice on this one.  According to the Associated Press article, “Congress asked the Institute of Medicine — an independent group that advises the government on health matters — to study postmarket safety monitoring of children’s medical devices.” Lack of data is a huge problem----parents do not always know who to report problems to when they occur, and the recommendations include increased FDA involvement.

If you have a child who uses a medical device, check out this story. 

| Read More »

Save this one for your next really difficult day with your kids.  The magazine Inside TV rated the top ten brats on television programs.  Topping the list are Lynette’s kids on “Desperate Housewives,” and if you have seen the show, you know how they earned their ranking.  This list spans generations of television, which is interesting since many readers may not know who all the characters are.  If you fall into that category, you have a good excuse to rent a different DVD.

| Read More »

How often do we get practical suggestions on getting kids to eat healthier?  Yahoo! published a great Associated Press article that has amazing ideas and incorporates the realities of picky eaters and lunch trading at school.  One of the dietician contributors follows an 80-20 rule with her family:  80% healthy, 20% fun.  Each of her kids gets a small treat like 2 cookies or a piece of candy each day.  Variety seems to be a key factor in a successful approach.  Kids need to have some sense of control over their food choices, and not get too bored with their meals.  Also, don’t get too stressed out if your child doesn’t eat their lunch at school, because you have control over breakfast and dinner, so if you make the most of the at-home meals, the lunch problems aren’t as crucial in their overall intake. 

Other tips include making sure that lunch foods have been introduced at home first.  If the child has not seen the food before, it will not be eaten.  Also, avoid the temptation to pack sodas and sweets because your kids will take their cues from you in developing their long-term food habits.

One factoid from the article:  Kids over 5 should have skim or 1% milk.  Who knew?

| Read More »

I figure I’ve been talking about our education system enough lately, so I thought I’d share this article on the dangers of E.coli and how to make sure your next cookout or petting zoo doesn’t breed illness.  E.coli bacteria normally hang out in the colon and do not cause problems, but certain strains can cause disease. 

BabyZone offers:  “Modes of transmission of the E. coli bacteria are, ‘through food or water contaminated by animal or human feces, or by contact with animals or humans infected with or carrying the strain in the bowel. It can be spread from person to person,’ explains Dr. Michael J. Muszynski, MD, FAAP, Dean, Professor of Clinical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Orlando campus.

This means that you need to make sure your meat doesn’t sit unrefrigerated for more than two hours, cook your meat thoroughly, and make sure that your kids wash wash wash after hanging around farm animals in petting zoos.  If you are planning a visit to a petting zoo, call ahead to ask about the washing facilities.  Don’t go if they are not adequate, that way you avoid the begging and tantrums if you have an animal-loving child.

It is tough when we have to be so careful to have good old-fashioned American fun, but with just a few steps, your summer can be E.coli-free.

| Read More »

Leland Public Schools in Michigan published a calendar with pictures of scantily dressed men to raise money for their garden.  One of the men who posed is the superintendent of the school district if you can believe it.  I know U.S. schools are strapped for cash, but is this really necessary?  What happened to Jolly Rancher candy, Jog-A-Thons and brownie sales?  As a parent, if I thought that my district was that desperate, I’d probably offer to pitch in a bit just to avoid the embarrassment.  I can’t imagine how the parents can possibly explain to their children why their superintendent posed for a calendar.

| Read More »

We have a new federal law that gives parents more control over the medications that a school can require their kids to take.  Many parents have been faced with the painful decision to administer Ritalin or other drugs so that their children could continue attending school.  One family I know pulled all four of their kids out of school because one child was told he had to take Ritalin to attend.  They opted for homeschooling vs. drugs for their children.  Obviously, experts weigh in on both sides of this controversy.  Some say that without the mandate, teachers will be afraid to speak out regarding children they believe need help.  Others say that this new law prevents the schools from trying to be doctors.  Either way, for us parents, we need to know that we have the option to say “no” if we feel that drugs are not appropriate for the situation.

| Read More »

In an age when high schoolers are using Microsoft Powerpoint for their class assignments, the technology education folks feel that not enough students are training to be computer science gurus, according to this Associated Press article.  Apparently, kids have seen the dot-com era go bust, and are opting for other lines of work.  You can’t half blame them.  I mean, a whole bunch of people did what they were encouraged to do and then got outsourced----but I digress.  As a parent, and someone who believes computers should be viewed as a work AID and nothing more, I am confused by something here.  We have scores of children who are weak in basic skills like math and reading, and the last time I checked, one needs to be able to read to use a computer.  And for those who can’t get enough computer science, one must be able to add and use math, at the very least.  Personally, I feel that a focus on the basics is entirely in order, along with some elementary history lessons----anyone who has seen Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” segment will likely agree.  Not that we shouldn’t be trying to train the next rocket scientists, but it seems that when examining macro-level trends in education, lack of computer science isn’t where we see the greatest dip in the graph. 

| Read More »

How bad does the U.S. education system need to get when our own high school students tell us that they need to be challenged more?  Apparently, we are there, according to an article published in The New York Times, summarizing a survey of over 10,000 high school students completed by the National Governors Association.  Governor Mark Warner of Virginia pretty much sums it up with these statements: 

*"I might have expected kids to say, ‘Don’t give us more work; high school is tough enough,’ “

*"Instead,...what we got are high school students actually willing to be stretched more. I didn’t think we’d get much of that.”

Here’s the real kicker - 36 percent of students who are considering dropping out stated that they were “not learning anything” and 24 percent said “I hate my school.”

So, again, I wonder how bad it really has to get before we start taking notice.  And what is driving these issues?  I’ve been feeling like a real troublemaker for asking my local school district why the kids are not more college-focused, and now I realize that the students are wondering too.  It seems that many education related special-interest groups out there want more money in the budget for something, but now I’m thinking that money isn’t it.  Is there an “x” factor that we’re not considering, aside from funding?

Hopefully this survey will shed some light on a problem that we really need to focus on and give us motivation to make changes.

| Read More »

This topic always seems a little strange to me because I figure that we parents should be grateful to some higher power just to have a healthy child.  Then I think about my buddy from college who had two girls, tried for a boy and ended up with twin girls that time around.  This article from American Baby explores some natural and unnatural methods for choosing gender, as well as suggestions for parents regarding their motivations and core beliefs around the whole issue.  The last section titled “Be Careful What You Wish For” says it all:  “...in the end, your child is going to be not merely a boy or a girl but her own person, and the hope is that you will allow her to be that....”

| Read More »

Good article in Salon covering one parent’s story of having a child expelled from preschool.  Also contains some interesting statistics on child expulsions.  The prevalence of this practice is scary, as are the implications for individual and societal school performance.

| Read More »